For recruiters and potential employers to discover your awesomeness there are some strategies you should be looking to adopt when building your resume. Learning how to make your resume more search friendly is probably a good idea. When you send your resume and cover letter to recruitment agencies or a company you’d like to work for, chances are that it won’t be read by a person. Rather, they might use an Applicant Tracking System to review the document to see if you are a good fit.

As much as you wish it was so, a job isn’t going to find it’s way to you… you must find your way to the job. Therefore, we suggest you use the strategies outlined below to make your CV search friendly:

1. Adapt the Job Description

You don’t want anything to get in the way of landing a job you love. So start off your job search using resume editor to tailor the language in your template to match what is used in the job description. For your CV to catch the attention of any ATS, it is imperative that you incorporate industry terms, jargon, and buzzwords used in the ad posted by the company. However, ensure that you do not force the language; only add some words and phrases here and there when they are applicable and relevant to your own skills, experiences, and expertise.

2. Strategically Apply Keywords

Technology is increasingly evolving relying on contextualization and not just on simple keyword matches. As a result, software programs can now parse things in the same way you would. Therefore, you should focus more on something higher than the keywords you add to your resume. For instance, consider the context and make sure that the surrounding words match well.

While highlighting keywords you should frame the sentence using a language that is more descriptive and demonstrates your skill set with the subject. Also, remember that the higher you add the keywords in your resume, the higher the chances that you’ll get noticed and ultimately called in for an interview. Of course, it won’t hurt to show the progression of the skills you are bringing to the table.

3. Clean Up

Even though people enjoy images, graphics, logos, and fancy fonts, a machine won’t. These elements are superfluous and will only confuse any ATS system your CV is run through. To this end, you’re best off using formats that are easy to read. Incorporate standard fonts that are safe for the web – such as Tahoma, Lucinda, Courier, Georgia, or Aria. Avoid emoticons and arrows because these special characters confuse software programs.

4. Format Logically

When your resume is run through an ATS system, the program will look out for certain items while checking whether they are strategically placed on the CV. Therefore, you must ensure that all vital information (email address, phone number, and name) show up at the top of the resume. Add appropriate headings on the various segments of the document, and ensure everything is logically organized.

5. Customize

Every advertised job position you come across will require different experiences and skill sets. Don’t send the same resume for every position you are applying for. Instead, tailor the document so that it meets the particular needs and requirements for each position.

To increase your chances of getting hired, only include talents and past positions that are absolutely relevant to the job you intend to get.

Charlotte is the founder and editor-in-chief at Your Coffee Break. With a background in PR working in Los Angeles and Barcelona, Charlotte has been working hard running Your Coffee Break from the YCB HQ in London’s Covent Garden for the past 4 years. Dried mangos, Starbucks and runs through Hyde Park get this Londoner through the day.